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Ron Eldie Nature Works, Tamparuli (2026)

16/07/2026

🐍 **WORLD SNAKE DAY | 16 JULY** 🐍

Today, in conjunction with **World Snake Day**, I'm excited to share a special video compilation featuring the snakes I've been fortunate enough to photograph throughout my wildlife photography journey.

Every snake has a story. From the brilliantly coloured venomous species to the shy, harmless forest dwellers, each plays a vital role in maintaining the balance of our ecosystems. While they are often misunderstood and feared, snakes are essential predators that help control rodent populations and contribute to healthy forests.

Capturing these incredible reptiles in their natural habitat has taught me patience, respect, and a deeper appreciation for the beauty of wildlife. Every encounter is a reminder that we are merely visitors in their world.

I hope this collection inspires more people to see snakes not as creatures to fear, but as fascinating animals worthy of our respect and protection.

Happy **World Snake Day!** 🌿🐍

📷 Video & Photography: **Ron Eldie Nature Works**

07/07/2026

Lantern bugs (Pyrops intricatus)
7 July 206
Kiulu, Sabah

Glad to see this P. intricatus community are still doing well inside my school compound area.

26/06/2026

Hübner's Wasp Moths (Amata huebneri)
15 June 2025
Kiulu, Sabah

No sting, all swagger. 🕶️

This is a Hübner's Wasp Moth (Amata huebneri). Despite the intimidating hornet costume, it’s just a completely harmless, day-flying moth pulling off an epic evolutionary bluff.

The dead giveaway? Look closely at the tips of its antennae—real wasps have solid, hooked feelers, but this softie wears little white socks on the ends of theirs.

17/06/2026

Kinabalu Slender Toad (Ansonia hanitschi)?
13 December 2025
Lupa Masa Rainforest Camp

Endemic to the cool, misty montane forests of Borneo—especially right here around Mount Kinabalu and the Crocker Range—these little amphibians are true rainforest specialists.

Here are a few reasons why this tiny toad is so fascinating:

They are incredibly small: Females max out at around 35 mm (about 1.3 inches), and males are even smaller at just 28 mm. That’s barely the size of your thumb! 👍

Built for the rapids: They live a rheophilic (stream-loving) lifestyle. They hang out by fast-flowing, rocky mountain streams. To survive the currents, their tadpoles actually have specialized sucker-like bellies that allow them to cling tightly to slippery rocks without getting washed away. 🌊

Invisible ears: Unlike many frogs and toads that have a distinct, circular eardrum (tympanum) visible on the side of their head, the Kinabalu Slender Toad's eardrum is completely hidden beneath its rough skin. 🤫

Masterful camouflage: With their dark brown, bumpy skin mottled with faint greenish-yellow patterns, they blend flawlessly into the mossy rocks, bark, and leaf litter of the forest floor.

Spotting one of these elusive little amphibians is a real treat for any nature lover or hiker trekking through the highlands of Sabah and Sarawak.

👇 Have you ever spotted a cool frog or toad while hiking in Borneo? Drop your best wildlife encounters in the comments!

15/06/2026

The fascinating connection between dung beetles and the Milky Way centers on one of nature's most incredible navigation tricks: celestial mapping by an insect.

The Cosmic Compass of the Lowly Dung Beetle

Dung beetles are nature's fast-moving cleanup crew. Once they locate a fresh pile of dung, they carve out a piece, sculpt it into a perfect ball, and must roll it away as quickly and straight as possible. If they wander in circles, they risk bumping into aggressive competitors who will steal their hard-earned prize in a brutal beetle wrestling match.
To maintain a perfectly straight line in the dead of night, they look up.

* **The Discovery:**
In 2013, a team of Swedish and South African researchers discovered that nocturnal dung beetles (*Scarabaeus satyrus*) use the gradient of light provided by the Milky Way to navigate.

* **How They See It:**
Dung beetles have compound eyes that are too weak to resolve individual stars or complex constellations. Instead, they perceive the Milky Way as a distinct, glowing stripe or diffuse band of light arching across the night sky.

* **The Mechanism:**
Studies confirmed that the beetles perform an "intensity comparison" between different regions of the galaxy. They sense contrast differences as low as 13% (such as the bright Galactic Center in Sagittarius versus dimmer areas), using that giant cosmic line as a compass reference point to push their dung balls forward without veering off course.

> **An Evolutionary First:**
This discovery marked the very first documented proof of any animal using the entire Milky Way galaxy for orientation, putting the humble dung beetle in elite navigational company alongside migratory birds, seals, and ancient human mariners.

# # # A Growing Modern Threat: Light Pollution
The darker the sky, the truer the beetle’s path. Recent follow-up research points out a sad twist to this cosmic relationship: **artificial light pollution**. In areas near cities or heavy artificial lighting, the glow of the Milky Way is washed out, causing the beetles to lose their celestial compass, become disoriented, and roll their cargo in agonizing circles.

10/06/2026

Sabah Slender Litter Frog (Leptobrachella sabahmontana)?
13 December 2025
Lupa Masa Rainforest Camp

Ever walked through the montane forests of Borneo and heard a faint, high-pitched chirp coming from the ground? You might have just walked past one of Malaysia’s most elusive little amphibians!

Here is why this tiny forest dweller is so fascinating:

Ultimate Camouflage: True to its name, this frog makes its home in the dense, damp leaf litter of the forest floor. With its textured, earth-toned skin, it is nearly invisible among the dead leaves and rocks.

A Sabah Exclusive: Leptobrachella sabahmontana is endemic to Sabah, meaning this specific species isn't found in the wild anywhere else in the world!

Tiny but Mighty: They are incredibly small (often under 40 mm) but play a massive role in their ecosystem by controlling insect populations and serving as a key indicator of overall forest health.

💧 Why they need our help: Like many amphibians, leaf litter frogs are highly sensitive to changes in their environment. Protecting Borneo's montane evergreen forests and rocky streams is crucial to ensuring these tiny vocalists keep singing for generations to come.

Have you ever spotted a frog perfectly camouflaged in the wild? Let us know below! 👇

09/06/2026

Wolf Spider (family Lycosidae)
1 May 2026

Unlike the spiders that spin intricate webs and patiently wait for dinner to arrive, wolf spiders are the athletes of the arachnid world. They are ground dwellers that actively chase down and pounce on their prey.

Here’s why they are some of the coolest, most misunderstood neighbors you can have:

👀 Built-In Night Vision: They have eight eyes arranged in three distinct rows, including two massive ones right in the middle of their face. This gives them incredible eyesight for hunting in the dark. If you sweep a flashlight across your lawn at night, you might actually see their eyes reflecting the light like tiny diamonds!

🏆 Mother of the Year: Wolf spiders are fiercely protective moms, exhibiting a level of maternal care rare in the spider world. After laying eggs, the female attaches the silken egg sac to her spinnerets and drags it wherever she goes. Once they hatch, dozens of tiny spiderlings climb directly onto her back, and she carries them around for several weeks until they are large enough to hunt on their own.

🌱 Free Pest Control: While they might look a little intimidating because they are hairy and fast, they are fantastic for your local ecosystem. They feast on crickets, roaches, ants, and other agricultural pests.

Plus, they are generally harmless to humans. They’d much rather run away from you than fight. They only bite if they are actively trapped or squeezed against your skin, and the venom is not dangerous to us (the bite feels similar to a mild bee sting).

Next time you see one scurrying by, give her a little nod of respect! Has anyone ever spotted a mother wolf spider carrying babies on her back? Let me know in the comments! 👇📸

08/06/2026

A highly striking, vivid red hairy caterpillar, which is the larval stage of a moth belonging either to the Eupterotidae family (commonly known as monkey moths) or the Lymantriinae family (tussock moths).

1 May 2026
Gunung Alab

07/06/2026

#22
Bornean Hill-partridge (Arborophila hyperythra)
20 September 2020

🌿 **Meet Borneo's Hidden Gem: The Bornean Hill-partridge!** 🐦

Also known as the Red-breasted partridge, this stunning bird is a true island exclusive—found nowhere else in the world except the beautiful hill and montane forests of Borneo (across Sabah, Sarawak, and Kalimantan)! 🏔️✨

Here are a few cool facts about these elusive forest dwellers:

* **Dressed to Impress:** They are easy to recognize by their bright chestnut breast, striking black-and-white patterned flanks, and a signature patch of red bare skin around their throat.

* **Forest Foragers:** You’ll usually find them in small groups scurrying through thickets and bamboo patches, snacking on a buffet of seeds, fallen fruits, and insects. 🍓🐜

* **Singing in Sync:** When they call out, it’s actually a duet! One bird sings rising *chu* notes, while its partner answers with falling *cuckoo* sounds. 🎶

While they are currently listed as "Least Concern," their populations are slowly declining due to habitat loss. Protecting our primary and secondary forests is crucial to keeping their unique duets echoing through the mountains! 🌳💚

Have you ever been lucky enough to spot or hear one of these while hiking around Mount Kinabalu or the Crocker Range? Let me know in the comments! 👇

06/06/2026

#21
Crimson-headed partridge (Haematortyx sanguiniceps)
20 September 2020

It’s easy to take for granted the incredible wildlife we have right in our own backyard.

🌿This striking bird is the Crimson-headed partridge (Haematortyx sanguiniceps). It’s completely endemic to Borneo, meaning you won’t find it anywhere else in the world outside of the lower montane forests right here in Sabah and the central parts of the island. The males are impossible to miss with that brilliant crimson red head and breast contrasting against a dark body and a bright yellow bill. They usually stick to the undergrowth, foraging for berries and insects among the leaf litter at elevations around 1,000 to 1,700 meters.

Just a reminder of how unique our local ecosystem is!

Ron Eldie Nature Works

16/07/2026

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